Rabbi Ze’ev Smason has a new weekly project, and it’s one he hopes will bring people just a little closer to themselves. With Spiritual Sparks, the longtime Olivette rabbi sends a spark of inspiration each week—short reflections meant to nourish the soul, drawn from Jewish tradition and personal insight.
After decades leading Nusach Hari B’nai Zion Congregation in Olivette, Rabbi Ze’ev Smason stepped into a new role in 2023 as founding chair of CJV Missouri, the first state chapter of the Coalition for Jewish Values. But now he’s turning his attention to something more personal—and much smaller in scale. This month, he’s launching Spiritual Sparks, a weekly email meant to deliver short, meaningful inspiration drawn from timeless Jewish sources.
A moment of connection
Each installment of Spiritual Sparks is designed to be brief—a few paragraphs at most—but layered with wisdom. The idea, Smason says, is to give readers something they can carry into the week, whether they read it over coffee, between errands or before bed.
“I’ve always believed that even a short teaching, if it’s the right one at the right time, can have an outsized impact,” he said. “That’s what I’m hoping to offer here.”
Smason said the idea for the series had been building for years, but finally crystallized after he stepped away from day-to-day congregational leadership. “After I retired, people would ask me if I was going to write something, or teach online,” he said. “That’s when it hit me—maybe I could share something small but steady. A spark.”
Why now?
The launch of Spiritual Sparks comes at a time when digital content is everywhere, but spiritual focus can be harder to find. Smason said he sees a hunger for meaning—something deeper than hot takes and headlines.
“People are overwhelmed, overstimulated and often spiritually undernourished,” he said. “I think the right idea at the right moment can ground you.”
For many, he said, the challenge is not just lack of access—but lack of depth. “Some Jews grow up without any exposure whatsoever to Judaism,” he said. “Others become acquainted with the shell of Judaism—the laws, the practices and rituals, the traditions—but not the nutrient-rich core.”
The emails will feature teachings drawn from Jewish texts, ideas and thinkers, both classical and contemporary. Sometimes the content will reflect the season or a holiday. Other times, Smason said, it might just be an idea he’s been wrestling with.
“One week it might be about gratitude,” he said. “Another week, it could be about resilience or forgiveness. It depends on what feels needed.”
A quiet offering
Smason said he isn’t expecting thousands of subscribers—this isn’t a mass email blast. Instead, he hopes the list will grow organically, through word-of-mouth and quiet recommendation.
“This is about being useful, not going viral,” he said. “If it helps one person find some meaning or clarity in their day, that’s enough for me.”
Spiritual Sparks is now underway, with new messages arriving in inboxes each week. To subscribe, email Rabbi Smason directly or send him a message on social media.
